Connection management techniques for wireless docking

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are connection management techniques for wireless docking. According to various such techniques, a wireless docking station may be arranged to implement an auto-connect mode setting that defines whether mobile clients are permitted to automatically connect to the wireless docking station, and may be arranged to implement a persistent pairing setting that defines whether authentication certificates may be reused. In some embodiments, the wireless docking station may be configured to advertise the auto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting in auto-connect capability information elements (IEs) that it includes in probe requests and/or probe responses. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

RELATED CASE

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/979,285, filed Apr. 14, 2014, the entirety of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to wireless communicationsbetween devices in wireless networks.

BACKGROUND

Wireless docking generally involves the establishment of respectivewireless connections between a mobile client and one or moreperipherals, to enable those peripherals to be used in conjunction withuse of the mobile client. The first time a given mobile client discoversa given wireless docking station, the mobile client may prompt its userto indicate whether use of the wireless docking station is desired. Ifthe user indicates that use of the wireless docking station is desired,the mobile client and the wireless docking station may then undergo apairing process, according to which they generate certificates for usein authenticating one another.

In some cases, it may be desirable that if the mobile client encountersthe wireless docking station on a subsequent occasion, it automaticallyconnects to the wireless docking station, without user input and withoutthe need to repeat the pairing process. In some other cases, such asthose in which the wireless docking station is publicly shared, it maybe desirable for the wireless docking station to prohibit the automaticestablishment of wireless docking connections, and/or to require thatthe pairing process be performed each time such a connection isestablished. In conventional systems, no mechanism is defined by whichwireless docking stations may communicate such requirements to wirelessclients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an operating environment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of an initial connection procedure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of an information element.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a first communications flow.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a second communications flow.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a third communications flow.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a first apparatus and an embodimentof a first system.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a second apparatus and an embodimentof a second system.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow.

FIG. 11A illustrates an embodiment of a first storage medium.

FIG. 11B illustrates an embodiment of a second storage medium.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a device.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a wireless network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are connection management techniques for wirelessdocking. According to various such techniques, a wireless dockingstation may be arranged to implement an auto-connect mode setting thatdefines whether mobile clients are permitted to automatically connect tothe wireless docking station, and may be arranged to implement apersistent pairing setting that defines whether authenticationcertificates may be reused. In some embodiments, the wireless dockingstation may be configured to advertise the auto-connect mode setting andthe persistent pairing setting in auto-connect capability informationelements (IEs) that it includes in probe requests and/or proberesponses. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Various embodiments may comprise one or more elements. An element maycomprise any structure arranged to perform certain operations. Eachelement may be implemented as hardware, software, or any combinationthereof, as desired for a given set of design parameters or performanceconstraints. Although an embodiment may be described with a limitednumber of elements in a certain topology by way of example, theembodiment may include more or less elements in alternate topologies asdesired for a given implementation. It is worthy to note that anyreference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances ofthe phrases “in one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” and “in variousembodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarilyall referring to the same embodiment.

Various embodiments are generally directed to wireless communicationssystems. Some embodiments are particularly directed to wirelesscommunications performed according to one or more wirelesscommunications standards. For example, various embodiments may involvewireless communications performed according to one or more Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (“Wi-Fistandards”), such as the IEEE 802.11ac-2013 standard, the IEEE802.11ad-2012 (“WiGig”) standard, and/or their revisions, progeny,and/or variants. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an operating environment 100 such asmay be representative of various embodiments. In operating environment100, a wireless docking station 102 offers wireless access toperipherals 104 within a coverage area 106. Management logic 108 atwireless docking station 102 generates docking station identificationinformation 110, which is transmitted within coverage area 106 so thatmobile clients may be made aware of wireless docking station 102. When amobile client 112 enters coverage area 106, it receives docking stationidentification information 110 and thereby detects wireless dockingstation 102. In order to notify mobile clients such as mobile client 112of various capabilities and/or features of wireless docking station 102,management logic 108 may include docking station configurationinformation 114 in docking station identification information 110. Onceit detects wireless docking station 102, mobile client 112 may determinewhether to connect to wireless docking station 102. Depending on thecircumstances, this determination may be manually performed by a user ofmobile client 112 or may be automatically performed by logic comprisedin mobile client 112, and may be based on capabilities and/or featuresidentified by docking station configuration information 114. If mobileclient 112 elects to connect to wireless docking station 102, it mayexchange authentication information 116 with wireless docking station102 in the course of establishing such a connection. The embodiments arenot limited in this context.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an initial connection procedure 200such as may be representative of a procedure followed by wirelessdocking station 102 and mobile client 112 on a first occasion upon whichmobile client 112 encounters and/or elects to connect with and utilizewireless docking station 102. More particularly, FIG. 2 illustratesvarious phases that may be comprised within such an initial connectionprocedure 200. As shown in FIG. 2, initial connection procedure 200 maycomprise a discovery phase 202, a pairing phase 204, an authenticationphase 206, and a usage phase 208. For purposes of explanation, each ofthese phases shall be described with reference to example operatingenvironment 100 of FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that theembodiments are not limited to this example.

During discovery phase 202, mobile client 112 may discover wirelessdocking station 102 based on received docking station identificationinformation 110, and may prompt a user to specify whether a connectionto wireless docking station 102 is desired. In some embodiments, dockingstation identification information 110 may comprise docking stationconfiguration information 114, and mobile client 112 may present some orall of docking station configuration information 114 in conjunction withprompting the user regarding whether a connection to wireless dockingstation 102 is desired. For example, if peripherals 104 include awireless display and docking station configuration information 114identifies a maximum resolution of that wireless display, mobile client112 may notify the user of that maximum resolution when it prompts theuser for a decision on whether to connect to wireless docking station102. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

If, during discovery phase 202, the user of mobile client 112 elects toconnect to wireless docking station 102, then pairing phase 204 maycommence. During pairing phase 204, wireless docking station 102 andmobile client 112 may generate authentication information 116 forsubsequent exchange. In various embodiments, authentication information116 may comprise digital certificates that wireless docking station 102and mobile client 112 generate for purposes of authentication. In someembodiments, pairing phase 204 may comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Setup(WPS) process. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

Once wireless docking station 102 and mobile client 112 have generatedauthentication information 116 during pairing phase 204, they mayexchange that authentication information 116 during authentication phase206. In various embodiments, authentication phase 206 may involve ahandshake performed using authentication information 116. For example,in some embodiments, authentication phase 206 may involve a 4-wayhandshake performed according to a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2)protocol, using digital certificates generated during pairing phase 204.Following successful authentication during authentication phase 206,mobile client 112 may begin actually using wireless docking station 102during utilization phase 208.

As mentioned above, initial connection procedure 200 may berepresentative of a procedure followed on a first occasion upon whichmobile client 112 encounters and/or elects to connect with and utilizewireless docking station 102. In various embodiments, it may be possibleand desirable that on subsequent occasions, mobile client 112 mayconnect with and utilize wireless docking station 102 without the needto perform all of the operations performed during initial connectionprocedure 200. For example, in some embodiments, it may be desirablethat mobile client 112 be configured to automatically connect towireless docking station 102 whenever it enters coverage area 106,rather than requiring the user to manually instruct mobile client 112 toestablish such a connection. In another example, in various embodiments,it may be desirable that wireless docking station 102 and mobile client112 retain and reuse authentication information 116 for establishingsubsequent connections, rather than repeating pairing phase 204.However, in some other embodiments, such as those in which wirelessdocking station 102 is publicly shared, it may be desirable thatautomatic connection to wireless docking station 102 and/or reuse ofauthentication information 116 be prohibited.

In various embodiments, wireless docking station 102 may be arranged toimplement one or more configurable auto-connect settings, which maydefine whether any portions of initial connection procedure 200 may beskipped on subsequent occasions. In some embodiments, wireless dockingstation 102 may be arranged to implement an auto-connect mode settingthat defines whether mobile clients such as mobile client 112 arepermitted to automatically connect to wireless docking station 102. Invarious embodiments, wireless docking station 102 may be arranged toimplement a persistent pairing setting that defines whetherauthentication information 116 can be reused or must instead be freshlygenerated each time a connection to wireless docking station 102 isestablished. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

In some embodiments, in order to inform mobile clients that entercoverage area 106 of its auto-connect settings, wireless docking station102 may be operative to include information describing its auto-connectsettings within docking station configuration information 114 and/ordocking station identification information 110. In various embodiments,wireless docking station 102 may be operative to communicate itsauto-connect settings using a defined information element (IE). In someembodiments, management logic 108 may be operative to advertise dockingstation identification information 110 via probe requests and/or proberesponses, and may be operative to include auto-connect capability IEsin those probe requests and/or probe responses in order to inform mobileclients of auto-connect settings for wireless docking station 102. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example information element 300 such as may berepresentative of various embodiments. For example, information element300 may be representative of an auto-connect capability IE that wirelessdocking station 102 of FIG. 1 may include in probe request and/or proberesponse messages in order to inform mobile clients of its auto-connectsettings. As shown in FIG. 3, information element 300 comprises anelement identifier (ID) field 302, a length field 304, and anauto-connect capabilities field 306. In some embodiments, element IDfield 302 may comprise a value indicating that information element 300comprises an auto-connect capability IE. In various embodiments, lengthfield 304 may comprise a value indicating a length of auto-connectcapabilities field 306. In some embodiments, auto-connect capabilitiesfield 306 may comprise information identifying one or more auto-connectsettings for a wireless docking station, such as wireless dockingstation 102 of FIG. 1. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

In various embodiments, one or more possible values may be defined forauto-connect capabilities field 306, each of which may correspond to arespective set of one or more auto-connect settings. For example, afirst defined value may correspond to a setting according to which allconnections to the wireless docking station must be manuallyuser-requested, but authentication certificates may be saved and reused,and thus repeat pairing is not required. A second defined value maycorrespond to a setting according to which all connections to thewireless docking station must be manually user-requested, andauthentication certificates must be discarded following theestablishment of each respective connection. A third defined value maycorrespond to a setting according to which both automatic connection andcertificate reuse are permitted. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a communications flow 400 such as maybe representative of some embodiments. More particularly, communicationsflow 400 may be representative of various embodiments in which allconnections to a wireless dock must be manually user-requested, butauthentication certificates may be saved and reused. As shown in FIG. 4,communications flow 400 involves an exchange of communications between awireless docking station, such as wireless docking station 102 of FIG.1, and a mobile client, such as mobile client 112 of FIG. 1.Communications flow 400 comprises an initial connection flow 410 and asubsequent connection flow 450. Initial connection flow 410 depictscommunications that may be exchanged on a first occasion upon which themobile client connects with the wireless docking station, whilesubsequent connection flow 450 depicts communications that may beexchanged on a subsequent occasion upon which the mobile client connectswith the wireless docking station.

Initial connection flow 410 begins with initial discovery flow 412,during which the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities to devices within range. As part of thisprocess, the wireless docking station may advertise its auto-connectsettings by sending one or more auto-connect capability IEs. In someembodiments, the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities by sending probe requests and/or proberesponses. In various such embodiments, the wireless docking station mayinclude auto-connect capability IEs in those probe requests and/or proberesponses. In the example of FIG. 4, the auto-connect capability IEs mayindicate that authentication certificates may be reused, but thatautomatic connections to the wireless docking station are not permitted.At 414, in response to a prompt presented based on advertisementsreceived from the wireless docking station, a user of the mobile clientmay manually select the wireless docking station for use.

Following this manual selection, an initial pairing flow 416 may occur,during which the wireless docking station and the mobile client maybegin a process for generating authentication certificates for exchange.In some embodiments, initial pairing flow 416 may comprise acommunications exchange performed according to a WPS protocol. Theprocess begun via initial pairing flow 416 may result in authenticationcertificate creation at 418, at both the wireless docking station andthe mobile client. The certificates created at 418 may be used in aninitial authentication flow 420, via which the wireless docking stationand the mobile client may authenticate each other. In variousembodiments, initial authentication flow 420 may comprise acommunications exchange performed according to a WPA2 protocol. Forexample, in some embodiments, initial authentication flow 420 mayinvolve the use of the authentication certificates in a WPA2 4-wayhandshake.

Following initial authentication flow 420, at 422, the wireless dockingstation may save the certificates created at 418, in order to reuse themduring subsequent connection procedures. Similarly, at 424, the mobileclient may save the certificates created at 418. However, based on oneor more received auto-connect capability IEs indicating that automaticconnections to the wireless docking station are not permitted, themobile client may not present its user with the option of creating anauto-connect profile for the wireless docking station. At this point,the mobile client may utilize the wireless docking station for some timeinterval, following which it may disconnect from the wireless dockingstation and exit its coverage area.

Subsequent connection flow 450 may be triggered at a later point intime, upon reentry of the mobile client into the coverage area of thewireless docking station. Subsequent connection flow 450 may begin withdiscovery flow 452, during which the mobile client may receive anadvertisement from the wireless docking station and identify it as thewireless docking station that it previously used during initialconnection flow 410. Because automatic connections to the wirelessdocking station are not permitted, and the option of creating anauto-connect profile was therefore not presented to the user at 424, useof the wireless docking station may once again require a manualselection on the part of the user, which may occur at 454. Becauseauthentication certificate reuse is permitted, a pairing process may beskipped, and the certificates may be reused at 456. In an authenticationflow 458, the wireless docking station and the mobile client mayauthenticate each other using the same certificates as those used ininitial authentication flow 420. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a communications flow 500 such as maybe representative of various embodiments. More particularly,communications flow 500 may be representative of some embodiments inwhich all connections to a wireless dock must be manuallyuser-requested, and authentication certificates may not be reused. Likecommunications flow 400 of FIG. 4, communications flow 500 involves anexchange of communications between a wireless docking station, such aswireless docking station 102 of FIG. 1, and a mobile client, such asmobile client 112 of FIG. 1. Communications flow 500 comprises aninitial connection flow 510 and a subsequent connection flow 550.Initial connection flow 510 depicts communications that may be exchangedon a first occasion upon which the mobile client connects with thewireless docking station, while subsequent connection flow 550 depictscommunications that may be exchanged on a subsequent occasion upon whichthe mobile client connects with the wireless docking station.

Initial connection flow 510 begins with initial discovery flow 512,during which the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities to devices within range. As part of thisprocess, the wireless docking station may advertise its auto-connectsettings by sending one or more auto-connect capability IEs. In variousembodiments, the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities by sending probe requests and/or proberesponses. In some such embodiments, the wireless docking station mayinclude auto-connect capability IEs in those probe requests and/or proberesponses. In the example of FIG. 5, the auto-connect capability IEs mayindicate that automatic connections to the wireless docking station arenot permitted and that authentication certificates may not be reused. At514, in response to a prompt presented based on advertisements receivedfrom the wireless docking station, a user of the mobile client maymanually select the wireless docking station for use.

The manual dock selection at 514 may be followed by an initial pairingflow 516, certificate creation 518, and initial authentication flow 520that are the same as or similar to initial pairing flow 416, certificatecreation 418, and initial authentication flow 420 of FIG. 4. Followinginitial authentication flow 520, because authentication certificatereuse is not permitted, the wireless docking station may delete at 526the certificates created at 518. Similarly, based on one or morereceived auto-connect capability IEs indicating that certificate reuseis not permitted, the mobile client may delete those certificates at528. Furthermore, the received auto-connect IE(s) may indicate thatautomatic connections to the wireless docking station are not permitted,and the mobile client may therefore not present its user with the optionof creating an auto-connect profile for the wireless docking station at528. At this point, the mobile client may utilize the wireless dockingstation for some time interval, following which it may disconnect fromthe wireless docking station and exit its coverage area.

Subsequent connection flow 550 may be triggered at a later point intime, upon reentry of the mobile client into the coverage area of thewireless docking station. Because automatic connections to the wirelessdocking station are not permitted, and authentication certificate reuseis also not permitted, the operations comprised in subsequent connectionflow 550 may essentially be the same as those involved in initialconnection flow 510. Namely, subsequent connection flow 550 may comprisean initial discovery flow 552 that is the same as or similar to initialdiscovery flow 512, a manual dock selection at 554 that is the same asor similar to the manual dock selection at 514, an initial pairing flow560 that is the same as or similar to initial pairing flow 516,certificate creation at 562 that is the same as or similar to thecertificate creation at 518, and an initial authentication flow 564 thatis the same as or similar to initial authentication flow 520.

It is worthy of note that initial authentication flow 564 may be thesame as or similar to initial authentication flow 520 in the sense thatboth authentication flows may utilize respective sets of freshly createdcertificates, which may differ from one another. In contrast,authentication flow 458 of FIG. 4 may differ from initial authenticationflow 420 in the sense that while initial authentication flow 420 mayutilize freshly created certificates, authentication flow 458 may reusepreviously utilized certificates, which may be the same as thoseutilized by initial authentication flow 420. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a communications flow 600 such as maybe representative of various embodiments. More particularly,communications flow 600 may be representative of some embodiments inwhich automatic connections to a wireless docking station are permitted,and authentication certificate reuse is also permitted Likecommunications flow 400 of FIG. 4 and communications flow 500 of FIG. 5,communications flow 600 involves an exchange of communications between awireless docking station, such as wireless docking station 102 of FIG.1, and a mobile client, such as mobile client 112 of FIG. 1.Communications flow 600 comprises an initial connection flow 610 and asubsequent connection flow 650. Initial connection flow 610 depictscommunications that may be exchanged on a first occasion upon which themobile client connects with the wireless docking station, whilesubsequent connection flow 650 depicts communications that may beexchanged on a subsequent occasion upon which the mobile client connectswith the wireless docking station.

Initial connection flow 610 begins with initial discovery flow 612,during which the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities to devices within range. As part of thisprocess, the wireless docking station may advertise its auto-connectsettings by sending one or more auto-connect capability IEs. In variousembodiments, the wireless docking station may advertise its presence,features, and/or capabilities by sending probe requests and/or proberesponses. In some such embodiments, the wireless docking station mayinclude auto-connect capability IEs in those probe requests and/or proberesponses. In the example of FIG. 6, the auto-connect capability IEs mayindicate that automatic connections to the wireless docking station arepermitted and that authentication certificates may be reused. At 614, inresponse to a prompt presented based on advertisements received from thewireless docking station, a user of the mobile client may manuallyselect the wireless docking station for use.

The manual dock selection at 614 may be followed by an initial pairingflow 616, certificate creation 618, and initial authentication flow 620that are the same as or similar to initial pairing flow 416 of FIG. 4and/or initial pairing flow 516 of FIG. 5, certificate creation at 418in FIG. 4 and/or certificate creation at 518 in FIG. 5, and initialauthentication flow 420 of FIG. 4 and/or initial authentication flow 520of FIG. 5. Following initial authentication flow 620, becauseauthentication certificate reuse is permitted, the wireless dockingstation may save at 622 the certificates created at 618. Similarly,based on one or more received auto-connect capability IEs indicatingthat certificate reuse is permitted, the mobile client may save thosecertificates at 630. Furthermore, the received auto-connect IE(s) mayindicate that automatic connections to the wireless docking station arepermitted, and the mobile client may therefore present its user with theoption of creating an auto-connect profile for the wireless dockingstation at 630. At this point, the mobile client may utilize thewireless docking station for some time interval, following which it maydisconnect from the wireless docking station and exit its coverage area.

Subsequent connection flow 650 may be triggered at a later point intime, upon reentry of the mobile client into the coverage area of thewireless docking station. Because automatic connections to the wirelessdocking station are permitted, the mobile client may automaticallyselect the wireless docking station for connection at 668, based on anauto-connect profile generated at 630. Because authenticationcertificate reuse is permitted, a pairing process may be skipped, andthe certificates created at 618 may be reused at 656. In anauthentication flow 658, the wireless docking station and the mobileclient may authenticate each other using the same certificates as thoseused in initial authentication flow 620. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 700 such as may beoperative in various embodiments to enable, provide, and/or manageaccess to a wireless docking station by one or more mobile clients. Forexample, apparatus 700 may be representative of an apparatus operativeto enable, provide, and/or manage access to wireless docking station 102of FIG. 1 by mobile client 112. In some embodiments, apparatus 700 maybe operative to enable, provide, and/or manage access to a wirelessdocking station within which it is comprised. In various otherembodiments, apparatus 700 may itself comprise or contain the wirelessdocking station. In yet other embodiments, apparatus 700 may be externalto the wireless docking station. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples. As shown in FIG. 7, apparatus 700 comprises multipleelements including a processor circuit 702, a memory unit 704, acommunications component 706, and a management component 708. Theembodiments, however, are not limited to the type, number, orarrangement of elements shown in this figure.

In some embodiments, apparatus 700 may comprise processor circuit 702.Processor circuit 702 may be implemented using any processor or logicdevice, such as a complex instruction set computer (CISC)microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC)microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, anx86 instruction set compatible processor, a processor implementing acombination of instruction sets, a multi-core processor such as adual-core processor or dual-core mobile processor, or any othermicroprocessor or central processing unit (CPU). Processor circuit 702may also be implemented as a dedicated processor, such as a controller,a microcontroller, an embedded processor, a chip multiprocessor (CMP), aco-processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, amedia processor, an input/output (I/O) processor, a media access control(MAC) processor, a radio baseband processor, an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aprogrammable logic device (PLD), and so forth. In one embodiment, forexample, processor circuit 702 may be implemented as a general purposeprocessor, such as a processor made by Intel® Corporation, Santa Clara,Calif. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, apparatus 700 may comprise or be arranged tocommunicatively couple with a memory unit 704. Memory unit 704 may beimplemented using any machine-readable or computer-readable mediacapable of storing data, including both volatile and non-volatilememory. For example, memory unit 704 may include read-only memory (ROM),random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM(DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM(PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasableprogrammable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such asferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change orferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)memory, magnetic or optical cards, or any other type of media suitablefor storing information. It is worthy of note that some portion or allof memory unit 704 may be included on the same integrated circuit asprocessor circuit 702, or alternatively some portion or all of memoryunit 704 may be disposed on an integrated circuit or other medium, forexample a hard disk drive, that is external to the integrated circuit ofprocessor circuit 702. Although memory unit 704 is comprised withinapparatus 700 in FIG. 7, memory unit 704 may be external to apparatus700 in some embodiments. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, apparatus 700 may comprise a communicationscomponent 706. Communications component 706 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to send messages to one or moreremote devices and/or to receive messages from one or more remotedevices. In some embodiments, communications component 706 may beoperative to send and/or receive messages over one or more wiredconnections, one or more wireless connections, or a combination of both.In various embodiments, communications component 706 may additionallycomprise logic, circuitry, and/or instructions operative to performvarious operations in support of such communications. Examples of suchoperations may include selection of transmission and/or receptionparameters and/or timing, packet and/or protocol data unit (PDU)construction and/or deconstruction, encoding and/or decoding, errordetection, and/or error correction. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

In some embodiments, apparatus 700 may comprise a management component708. Management component 708 may comprise logic, circuitry, and/orinstructions generally operative to manage the operations of a wirelessdocking station, such as wireless docking station 102 of FIG. 1. Invarious embodiments, management component 708 may be operative to managethe selection, configuration, implementation, and/or advertisement ofone or more settings that relate to procedures to be followed inconjunction with use of the wireless docking station by mobile clients,such as mobile client 112 of FIG. 1. For example, in some embodiments,management component 708 may be operative to manage the selection,configuration, implementation, and/or advertisement of one or moresettings that relate to procedures to be followed during one or more ofinitial connection procedure 200 of FIG. 2, communications flow 400 ofFIG. 4, communications flow 500 of FIG. 5, and communications flow 600of FIG. 6. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 7 also illustrates a block diagram of a system 740. System 740 maycomprise any of the aforementioned elements of apparatus 700. System 740may further comprise a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 742. RFtransceiver 742 may comprise one or more radios capable of transmittingand receiving signals using various suitable wireless communicationstechniques. Such techniques may involve communications across one ormore wireless networks. Exemplary wireless networks include (but are notlimited to) cellular radio access networks, wireless local area networks(WLANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless metropolitanarea network (WMANs), and satellite networks. In communicating acrosssuch networks, RF transceiver 742 may operate in accordance with one ormore applicable standards in any version. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In various embodiments, system 740 may comprise one or more RF antennas744. Examples of any particular RF antenna 744 may include, withoutlimitation, an internal antenna, an omni-directional antenna, a monopoleantenna, a dipole antenna, an end-fed antenna, a circularly polarizedantenna, a micro-strip antenna, a diversity antenna, a dual antenna, atri-band antenna, a quad-band antenna, and so forth. In someembodiments, RF transceiver 742 may be operative to send and/or receivemessages and/or data using one or more RF antennas 744. The embodimentsare not limited in this context.

In general operation, apparatus 700 and/or system 740 may be operativeto advertise and/or provide access to one or more peripheral devices 755of a wireless docking station 750. It is worthy of note that althoughFIG. 7 depicts apparatus 700 and system 740 as both being distinctfrom—and external to—wireless docking station 750, the embodiments arenot limited to this example. In various embodiments, apparatus 700 orsystem 740 may itself comprise the wireless docking station 750 thatincludes the one or more peripheral devices 755. In some otherembodiments, apparatus 700 and/or system 740 may be comprised within thesame wireless docking station 750 as are the one or more peripheraldevices 755. In still other embodiments, apparatus 700 and/or system 740may be external to the wireless docking station 750 that comprises theone or more peripheral devices 755. Examples of peripheral devices 755in various embodiments may include a display, a mouse, a keyboard, aspeaker or set of speakers, a microphone, a webcam, a video camera, astorage device, a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, and a gamingconsole. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

In some embodiments, communications component 706 may be operative tosend an advertisement message 710 to advertise the wireless dockingstation 750. In various embodiments, advertisement message 710 maycomprise a probe request or a probe response. In some embodiments,advertisement message 710 may comprise docking station identificationinformation 712. In various embodiments, docking station identificationinformation 712 may comprise information that enables one or more mobileclients to discover wireless docking station 750. In some embodiments,docking station identification information 712 may be the same as orsimilar to docking station identification information 110 of FIG. 1. Invarious embodiments, advertisement message 710 may comprise dockingstation configuration information 714. In some embodiments, dockingstation configuration information 714 may comprise informationidentifying one or more capabilities, features, and/or settings ofwireless docking station 750. In various embodiments, docking stationconfiguration information 714 may be the same as or similar to dockingstation configuration information 114 of FIG. 1. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, docking station configuration information 714 maycomprise an auto-connect mode setting 716 for the wireless dockingstation 750. In various embodiments, auto-connect mode setting 716 mayindicate whether automatic connection to the wireless docking station750 is permitted. In some embodiments, docking station configurationinformation 714 may comprise a persistent pairing setting 718 for thewireless docking station 750. In various embodiments, the persistentpairing setting 718 may indicate whether the wireless docking station750 allows authentication information reuse. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, the auto-connect mode setting 716 and/or thepersistent pairing setting 718 may be identified by an auto-connectcapability IE 715 comprised within advertisement message 710. In variousembodiments, auto-connect capability IE 715 may be the same as orsimilar to information element 300 of FIG. 3. In some embodiments,advertisement message 710 may comprise a probe request or a proberesponse, and auto-connect capability IE 715 may comprise an IE withinthat probe request or probe response. In various embodiments,auto-connect capability IE 715 may comprise an auto-connect capabilitiesfield that comprises information identifying auto-connect mode setting716 and persistent pairing setting 718. In some such embodiments, theauto-connect capabilities field may be the same as or similar toauto-connect capabilities field 306 of FIG. 3. In various suchembodiments, the auto-connect capabilities field may comprise a valueselected from among a plurality of defined values, where each of theplurality of defined values indicates a particular respectiveauto-connect mode setting 716 and a particular respective persistentpairing setting 718. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, communications component 706 may be operative toreceive a usage request 762 from a mobile client 760. In variousembodiments, usage request 762 may comprise a request to use wirelessdocking station 750. In some embodiments, management component 708 maybe operative to determine whether usage request 762 comprises a renewedusage request or an initial usage request. The term “renewed usagerequest” is employed herein to denote a usage request that is sent by amobile client that has previously connected to wireless docking station750. The term “initial usage request” is employed herein to denote ausage request that is sent by a mobile client that has not previouslyconnected to wireless docking station 750. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In various embodiments, in response to a determination that usagerequest 762 comprises an initial usage request, management component 708may be operative to generate authentication information 720 for aninitial authentication handshake with mobile client 760. The term“initial authentication handshake” is employed herein to denote anauthentication handshake performed in response to an initial usagerequest. In some embodiments, the generated authentication information720 may comprise a digital certificate. In various embodiments,management component 708 may be operative to generate the authenticationinformation 720 using a WPS process. In some embodiments, apparatus 700and/or system 740 may then be operative to use the generatedauthentication information 720 to perform the initial authenticationhandshake with the mobile client 760. In various embodiments, apparatus700 and/or system 740 may be operative to perform the initialauthentication handshake with the mobile client 760 during anauthentication phase of an initial connection procedure, such as theauthentication phase 206 of initial connection procedure 200 of FIG. 2.In some embodiments, the initial authentication handshake may comprise aWPA2 4-way handshake. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, management component 708 may be operative todetermine whether to preserve the authentication information 720following the initial authentication handshake, based on persistentpairing setting 718. In some embodiments, management component 708 maybe operative to preserve the authentication information 720 followingthe initial authentication handshake in response to a determination thatpersistent pairing setting 718 indicates that wireless docking station750 allows authentication information reuse. In various embodiments,management component 708 may be operative to delete the authenticationinformation 720 following the initial authentication handshake inresponse to a determination that persistent pairing setting 718indicates that wireless docking station 750 does not allowauthentication information reuse. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

In some embodiments, in response to a determination that usage request762 comprises a renewed usage request, management component 708 may beoperative to determine whether to generate authentication information720 for a renewed authentication handshake with mobile client 760. Theterm “renewed authentication handshake” is employed herein to denote anauthentication handshake performed in response to a renewed usagerequest. In various embodiments, the renewed authentication handshakemay comprise a WPA2 4-way handshake. In some embodiments, managementcomponent 708 may be operative to determine whether to generateauthentication information 720 for the renewed authentication handshakewith mobile client 760 based on persistent pairing setting 718.

In various embodiments, management component 708 may be operative togenerate authentication information 720 for the renewed authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that persistent pairing setting718 indicates that wireless docking station 750 does not allowauthentication information reuse. In some embodiments, apparatus 700and/or system 740 may then be operative to use the generatedauthentication information 720 to perform the renewed authenticationhandshake with the mobile client 760. In various embodiments, thegenerated authentication information 720 may comprise a digitalcertificate. In some embodiments, management component 708 may beoperative to generate the authentication information 720 using a WPSprocess. In various embodiments, in view of its determination thatpersistent pairing setting 718 indicates that wireless docking station750 does not allow authentication information reuse, managementcomponent 708 may be operative to delete the authentication information720 following the renewed authentication handshake. The embodiments arenot limited in this context.

In some embodiments, management component 708 may be operative to reusestored authentication information 722 in response to a determinationthat persistent pairing setting 718 indicates that wireless dockingstation 750 allows authentication information reuse. In variousembodiments, stored authentication information 722 may compriseauthentication information that was generated and/or used on a previousoccasion upon which mobile client 760 established a connection to and/orutilized wireless docking station 750. In some embodiments, the storedauthentication information 722 may comprise a digital certificate. Invarious embodiments, the stored authentication information 722 maypreviously have been generated using a WPS process. In some embodiments,management component 708 may be operative to reuse the storedauthentication information 722 by utilizing the stored authenticationinformation 722 to perform the renewed authentication handshake with themobile client 760. In various embodiments, in view of its determinationthat persistent pairing setting 718 indicates that wireless dockingstation 750 allows authentication information reuse, managementcomponent 708 may be operative to preserve the stored authenticationinformation 722 following the renewed authentication handshake. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 800 such as may beoperative in some embodiments to wirelessly connect to and utilize awireless docking station. For example, apparatus 800 may berepresentative of mobile client 112 of FIG. 1 and/or mobile client 760of FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8, apparatus 800 comprises multiple elementsincluding a processor circuit 802, a memory unit 804, a communicationscomponent 806, and a management component 808. The embodiments, however,are not limited to the type, number, or arrangement of elements shown inthis figure.

In various embodiments, apparatus 800 may comprise processor circuit802. Processor circuit 802 may be implemented using any processor orlogic device, and may be the same as or similar to processor circuit 702of FIG. 7. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, apparatus 800 may comprise or be arranged tocommunicatively couple with a memory unit 804. Memory unit 804 may beimplemented using any machine-readable or computer-readable mediacapable of storing data, including both volatile and non-volatilememory, and may be the same as or similar to memory unit 704 of FIG. 7.It is worthy of note that some portion or all of memory unit 804 may beincluded on the same integrated circuit as processor circuit 802, oralternatively some portion or all of memory unit 804 may be disposed onan integrated circuit or other medium, for example a hard disk drive,that is external to the integrated circuit of processor circuit 802.Although memory unit 804 is comprised within apparatus 800 in FIG. 8,memory unit 804 may be external to apparatus 800 in various embodiments.The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, apparatus 800 may comprise a communicationscomponent 806. Communications component 806 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to send messages to one or moreremote devices and/or to receive messages from one or more remotedevices. In various embodiments, communications component 806 may beoperative to send and/or receive messages over one or more wiredconnections, one or more wireless connections, or a combination of both.In some embodiments, communications component 806 may additionallycomprise logic, circuitry, and/or instructions operative to performvarious operations in support of such communications. Examples of suchoperations may include selection of transmission and/or receptionparameters and/or timing, packet and/or protocol data unit (PDU)construction and/or deconstruction, encoding and/or decoding, errordetection, and/or error correction. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

In various embodiments, apparatus 800 may comprise a managementcomponent 808. Management component 808 may comprise logic, circuitry,and/or instructions generally operative to manage the operations ofapparatus 800. In some embodiments, management component 808 may beoperative to manage operations performed by apparatus 800 in conjunctionwith use of a wireless docking station, such as wireless docking station102 of FIG. 1 and/or wireless docking station 750 of FIG. 7. Forexample, in various embodiments, management component 808 may beoperative to manage operations performed by apparatus 800 during one ormore of initial connection procedure 200 of FIG. 2, communications flow400 of FIG. 4, communications flow 500 of FIG. 5, and communicationsflow 600 of FIG. 6. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 8 also illustrates a block diagram of a system 840. System 840 maycomprise any of the aforementioned elements of apparatus 800. System 840may further comprise a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 842. RFtransceiver 842 may comprise one or more radios capable of transmittingand receiving signals using various suitable wireless communicationstechniques. Such techniques may involve communications across one ormore wireless networks. Exemplary wireless networks include (but are notlimited to) cellular radio access networks, wireless local area networks(WLANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless metropolitanarea network (WMANs), and satellite networks. In communicating acrosssuch networks, RF transceiver 842 may operate in accordance with one ormore applicable standards in any version. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, system 840 may comprise one or more RF antennas844. Examples of any particular RF antenna 844 may include, withoutlimitation, an internal antenna, an omni-directional antenna, a monopoleantenna, a dipole antenna, an end-fed antenna, a circularly polarizedantenna, a micro-strip antenna, a diversity antenna, a dual antenna, atri-band antenna, a quad-band antenna, and so forth. In variousembodiments, RF transceiver 842 may be operative to send and/or receivemessages and/or data using one or more RF antennas 844. The embodimentsare not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, system 840 may comprise a display 846. Display846 may comprise any display device capable of displaying informationreceived from processor circuit 802. In some embodiments, display 846may comprise a touch-sensitive display screen (“touchscreen”). Invarious embodiments, display 846 may comprise a monitor, a computerscreen, a television, a projector, or another type of display device. Insome embodiments, display 846 may be implemented by a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) or other type of suitablevisual interface. In various embodiments, display 846 may comprise anLCD that includes one or more thin-film transistors (TFTs). Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, during general operation of apparatus 800 and/orsystem 840, communications component 806 may be operative to receive anadvertisement message 810. In various embodiments, advertisement message810 may comprise a probe request or a probe response. In someembodiments, advertisement message 810 may comprise docking stationidentification information 812 identifying a wireless docking station850 that includes one or more peripheral devices 855. In variousembodiments, docking station identification information 812, wirelessdocking station 850 and peripheral device(s) 855 may be the same as orsimilar to docking station identification information 712, wirelessdocking station 750 and peripheral device(s) 755 of FIG. 7,respectively. In some embodiments, advertisement message 810 may betransmitted by the wireless docking station 850 or by a device comprisedwithin the wireless docking station 850. However, it is worthy of notethat although advertisement message 810 is depicted as originating fromwireless docking station 850 in the example of FIG. 8, the embodimentsare not so limited. For example, in various other embodiments, theadvertisement message 810 may be transmitted by supplemental hardwarethat is external to wireless docking station 850. The embodiments arenot limited in this context.

In some embodiments, advertisement message 810 may comprise dockingstation configuration information 814. In various embodiments, dockingstation configuration information 814 may comprise informationidentifying one or more capabilities, features, and/or settings ofwireless docking station 850. In some embodiments, docking stationconfiguration information 814 may be the same as or similar to dockingstation configuration information 714 of FIG. 7. In various embodiments,docking station configuration information 814 may comprise anauto-connect mode setting 816 for the wireless docking station 850. Insome embodiments, auto-connect mode setting 816 may indicate whetherautomatic connection to the wireless docking station 850 is permitted.In various embodiments, docking station configuration information 814may comprise a persistent pairing setting 818 for the wireless dockingstation 850. In some embodiments, the persistent pairing setting 818 mayindicate whether the wireless docking station 850 allows authenticationinformation reuse. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, the auto-connect mode setting 816 and/or thepersistent pairing setting 818 may be identified by an auto-connectcapability IE 815 comprised within advertisement message 810. In someembodiments, auto-connect capability IE 815 may be the same as orsimilar to auto-connect capability IE 715 of FIG. 7. In variousembodiments, advertisement message 810 may comprise a probe request or aprobe response, and auto-connect capability IE 815 may comprise an IEwithin that probe request or probe response. In some embodiments,auto-connect capability IE 815 may comprise an auto-connect capabilitiesfield that comprises information identifying auto-connect mode setting816 and persistent pairing setting 818. In various such embodiments, theauto-connect capabilities field may be the same as or similar toauto-connect capabilities field 306 of FIG. 3. In some such embodiments,the auto-connect capabilities field may comprise a value selected fromamong a plurality of defined values, where each of the plurality ofdefined values indicates a particular respective auto-connect modesetting 816 and a particular respective persistent pairing setting 818.The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, management component 808 may be operative todiscover wireless docking station 850 based on the receivedadvertisement message 810. In some such embodiments, managementcomponent 808 may be operative to discover wireless docking station 850based on the docking station identification information 812 within thereceived advertisement message 810. In various embodiments, once it hasdiscovered wireless docking station 850, management component 808 may beoperative to determine whether wireless docking station 850 comprises afamiliar wireless docking station. As employed herein with respect toapparatus 800 and/or system 840, the term “familiar wireless dockingstation” denotes a wireless docking station to which apparatus 800and/or system 840 has previously connected. As employed herein withrespect to apparatus 800 and/or system 840, the term “unfamiliarwireless docking station” denotes a wireless docking station to whichapparatus 800 and/or system 840 has not previously connected. In someembodiments, during ongoing operation of apparatus 800 and/or system840, management component 808 may be operative to generate, manage,and/or maintain usage history information 824. In various embodiments,usage history information 824 may comprise information identifying oneor more wireless docking stations to which apparatus 800 and/or system840 has previously connected. In some embodiments, management component808 may be operative to determine whether wireless docking station 850comprises a familiar wireless docking station based on whether usagehistory information 824 indicates that apparatus 800 and/or system 840has previously connected to wireless docking station 850. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, in response to a determination that wirelessdocking station 850 comprises an unfamiliar wireless docking station,management component 808 may be operative to generate a connectionprompt 826. In some embodiments, connection prompt 826 may comprise aprompt for an indication of whether a connection to wireless dockingstation 850 is desired. In various embodiments, connection prompt 826may comprise a prompt for input from a user of apparatus 800 and/orsystem 840. In some embodiments, connection prompt 826 may comprise oneor more visual elements for presentation in a graphical user interface.In various embodiments, management component 808 may be operative tocause connection prompt 826 to be presented on display 846. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, management component 808 may be operative toreceive a connection decision 828 in response to connection prompt 826.In various embodiments, connection decision 828 may comprise anindication of whether a connection to wireless docking station 850 isdesired. In some embodiments, connection decision 828 may comprise or bederived from input from a user of apparatus 800 and/or system 840. Invarious embodiments, apparatus 800 and/or system 840 may be operative toreceive such user input via one or more user input devices. In someembodiments, display 846 may comprise a touchscreen, and connectiondecision 828 may comprise or be derived from user input received via thetouchscreen. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, in response to a determination that connectiondecision 828 indicates that a connection to wireless docking station 850is desired, management component 808 may be operative to initiate aninitial connection procedure to establish a connection to wirelessdocking station 850. As employed herein with respect to apparatus 800and/or system 840, the term “initial connection procedure” denotes aprocedure for establishing a connection to an unfamiliar wirelessdocking station. In some embodiments, management component 808 may beoperative to initiate an initial connection procedure that comprises aninitial authentication handshake with wireless docking station 850, andmay be operative to generate authentication information 820 for theinitial authentication handshake. In various embodiments, the generatedauthentication information 820 may comprise a digital certificate. Insome embodiments, management component 808 may be operative to generatethe authentication information 820 using a WPS process. In variousembodiments, apparatus 800 and/or system 840 may then be operative touse the generated authentication information 820 to perform the initialauthentication handshake with the wireless docking station 850. In someembodiments, the initial authentication handshake may comprise a WPA24-way handshake. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, management component 808 may be operative todetermine whether to preserve the authentication information 820following the initial authentication handshake, based on persistentpairing setting 818. In some embodiments, management component 808 maybe operative to preserve the authentication information 820 followingthe initial authentication handshake in response to a determination thatpersistent pairing setting 818 indicates that wireless docking station850 allows authentication information reuse. In various embodiments,management component 808 may be operative to delete the authenticationinformation 820 following the initial authentication handshake inresponse to a determination that persistent pairing setting 818indicates that wireless docking station 850 does not allowauthentication information reuse. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

In some embodiments, in response to a determination that wirelessdocking station 850 comprises a familiar wireless docking station,management component 808 may be operative to determine whether toautomatically initiate a renewed connection procedure to establish aconnection to wireless docking station 850. As employed herein withrespect to apparatus 800 and/or system 840, the term “renewed connectionprocedure” denotes a procedure for establishing a connection to anfamiliar wireless docking station. In various embodiments, managementcomponent 808 may be operative to determine whether to automaticallyinitiate the renewed connection procedure based on auto-connect modesetting 816. In some embodiments, the renewed connection procedure maycomprise an renewed authentication handshake. In various embodiments,the renewed authentication handshake may comprise a WPA2 4-wayhandshake. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, in response to a determination that auto-connectmode setting 816 indicates that automatic connection to wireless dockingstation 850 is permitted, management component 808 may be operative toautomatically initiate the renewed connection procedure. In variousembodiments, in response to a determination that auto-connect modesetting 816 indicates that automatic connection to wireless dockingstation 850 is not permitted, management component 808 may be operativeto generate a connection prompt 826. In some embodiments, managementcomponent 808 may be operative to receive a connection decision 828 inresponse to connection prompt 826. In various embodiments, managementcomponent 808 may then be operative to determine whether to initiate therenewed connection procedure based on connection decision 828. In someembodiments, in response to a determination that connection decision 828indicates that a connection to wireless docking station 850 is desired,management component 808 may be operative to initiate the renewedconnection procedure. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, for an initiated renewed connection procedurecomprising a renewed authentication handshake, management component 808may be operative to determine whether to generate authenticationinformation 820 based on persistent pairing setting 818. In someembodiments, management component 808 may be operative to generateauthentication information 820 for the renewed authentication handshakein response to a determination that persistent pairing setting 818indicates that wireless docking station 850 does not allowauthentication information reuse. In various embodiments, apparatus 800and/or system 840 may then be operative to use the generatedauthentication information 820 to perform the renewed authenticationhandshake. In some embodiments, the generated authentication information820 may comprise a digital certificate. In various embodiments,management component 808 may be operative to generate the authenticationinformation 820 using a WPS process. In some embodiments, in view of itsdetermination that persistent pairing setting 818 indicates thatwireless docking station 850 does not allow authentication informationreuse, management component 808 may be operative to delete theauthentication information 820 following the renewed authenticationhandshake. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, management component 808 may be operative toreuse stored authentication information 822 in response to adetermination that persistent pairing setting 818 indicates thatwireless docking station 850 allows authentication information reuse. Insome embodiments, stored authentication information 822 may compriseauthentication information that was generated and/or used on a previousoccasion upon which apparatus 800 and/or system 840 established aconnection to and/or utilized wireless docking station 850. In variousembodiments, the stored authentication information 822 may comprise adigital certificate. In some embodiments, the stored authenticationinformation 822 may previously have been generated using a WPS process.In various embodiments, management component 808 may be operative toreuse the stored authentication information 822 by utilizing the storedauthentication information 822 to perform the renewed authenticationhandshake. In some embodiments, in view of its determination thatpersistent pairing setting 818 indicates that wireless docking station850 allows authentication information reuse, management component 808may be operative to preserve the stored authentication information 822following the renewed authentication handshake. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

Operations for the above embodiments may be further described withreference to the following figures and accompanying examples. Some ofthe figures may include a logic flow. Although such figures presentedherein may include a particular logic flow, it can be appreciated thatthe logic flow merely provides an example of how the generalfunctionality as described herein can be implemented. Further, the givenlogic flow does not necessarily have to be executed in the orderpresented unless otherwise indicated. In addition, the given logic flowmay be implemented by a hardware element, a software element executed bya processor, or any combination thereof. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow 900, which may berepresentative of the operations executed by one or more embodimentsdescribed herein. For example, logic flow 900 may be representative ofoperations that may be performed in various embodiments by apparatus 700and/or system 740 of FIG. 7. As shown in logic flow 900, anadvertisement message may be sent at 902 to advertise a wireless dockingstation, and the advertisement message may comprise a persistent pairingsetting. For example, communications component 706 of FIG. 7 may beoperative to send advertisement message 710 to advertise wirelessdocking station 750, and advertisement message 710 may comprisepersistent pairing setting 718. At 904, a request to use the wirelessdocking station may be received. For example, communications component706 of FIG. 7 may be operative to receive request 762 from mobile client760.

At 906, it may be determined whether the request comprises a renewedusage request. For example, management component 708 of FIG. 7 may beoperative to determine whether request 762 comprises a renewed usagerequest. At 908, in response to a determination that the requestcomprises a renewed usage request, it may be determined whether togenerate authentication information for an authentication handshake,based on the persistent pairing setting. For example, in response to adetermination that request 762 comprises a renewed usage request,management component 708 of FIG. 7 may be operative to determine whetherto generate authentication information 720 for a renewed authenticationhandshake with mobile client 760. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow 1000, which may berepresentative of the operations executed by one or more embodimentsdescribed herein. For example, logic flow 1000 may be representative ofoperations that may be performed in some embodiments by apparatus 800and/or system 840 of FIG. 8. As shown in logic flow 1000, a wirelessdocking station may be discovered at 1002 based on a receivedadvertisement message comprising an auto-connect mode setting. Forexample, management component 808 of FIG. 8 may be operative to discoverwireless docking station 850 based on a received advertisement message810 that comprises an auto-connect mode setting 816. At 1004, it may bedetermined whether the wireless docking station comprises a familiarwireless docking station. For example, management component 808 of FIG.8 may be operative to determine whether wireless docking station 850comprises a familiar wireless docking station based on usage historyinformation 824. At 1006, in response to a determination that thewireless docking station comprises a familiar wireless docking station,it may be determined whether to automatically initiate a connectionprocedure, based on the auto-connect mode setting. For example, inresponse to a determination that wireless docking station 850 of FIG. 8comprises a familiar wireless docking station, management component 808may determine, based on auto-connect mode setting 816, whether toautomatically initiate a renewed connection procedure to connect towireless docking station 850. The embodiments are not limited to theseexamples.

FIG. 11A illustrates an embodiment of a first storage medium 1100.Storage medium 1100 may comprise any non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium or machine-readable storage medium, such as an optical,magnetic or semiconductor storage medium. In various embodiments,storage medium 1100 may comprise an article of manufacture. In someembodiments, storage medium 1100 may store computer-executableinstructions, such as computer-executable instructions to implementlogic flow 900 of FIG. 9. In various embodiments, storage medium 1100may comprise one or more sets of instructions for execution by apparatus700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7 in order to implement logic flow 900 ofFIG. 9. Examples of a computer-readable storage medium ormachine-readable storage medium may include any tangible media capableof storing electronic data, including volatile memory or non-volatilememory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasablememory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and so forth. Examples ofcomputer-executable instructions may include any suitable type of code,such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code,static code, dynamic code, object-oriented code, visual code, and thelike. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 11B illustrates an embodiment of a second storage medium 1150.Storage medium 1150 may comprise any non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium or machine-readable storage medium, such as an optical,magnetic or semiconductor storage medium. In various embodiments,storage medium 1150 may comprise an article of manufacture. In someembodiments, storage medium 1150 may store computer-executableinstructions, such as computer-executable instructions to implementlogic flow 1000 of FIG. 10. In some embodiments, storage medium 1150 maycomprise one or more sets of instructions for execution by apparatus 800and/or system 840 of FIG. 8 in order to implement logic flow 1000 ofFIG. 10. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a communications device 1200 thatmay implement one or more of apparatus 700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7,apparatus 800 and/or system 840 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9,logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11A, and storagemedium 1150 of FIG. 11B. In various embodiments, device 1200 maycomprise a logic circuit 1228. The logic circuit 1228 may includephysical circuits to perform operations described for one or more ofapparatus 700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7, apparatus 800 and/or system840 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, and logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10,for example. As shown in FIG. 12, device 1200 may include a radiointerface 1210, baseband circuitry 1220, and computing platform 1230,although the embodiments are not limited to this configuration.

The device 1200 may implement some or all of the structure and/oroperations for one or more of apparatus 700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7,apparatus 800 and/or system 840 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9,logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11A, storagemedium 1150 of FIG. 11B, and logic circuit 1228 in a single computingentity, such as entirely within a single device. Alternatively, thedevice 1200 may distribute portions of the structure and/or operationsfor one or more of 700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7, apparatus 800 and/orsystem 840 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, logic flow 1000 of FIG.10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11A, storage medium 1150 of FIG. 11B,and logic circuit 1228 across multiple computing entities using adistributed system architecture, such as a client-server architecture, a3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled orclustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slavearchitecture, a shared database architecture, and other types ofdistributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In one embodiment, radio interface 1210 may include a component orcombination of components adapted for transmitting and/or receivingsingle-carrier or multi-carrier modulated signals (e.g., includingcomplementary code keying (CCK), orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplexing (OFDM), and/or single-carrier frequency division multipleaccess (SC-FDMA) symbols) although the embodiments are not limited toany specific over-the-air interface or modulation scheme. Radiointerface 1210 may include, for example, a receiver 1212, a frequencysynthesizer 1214, and/or a transmitter 1216. Radio interface 1210 mayinclude bias controls, a crystal oscillator and/or one or more antennas1218-f. In another embodiment, radio interface 1210 may use externalvoltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), surface acoustic wave filters,intermediate frequency (IF) filters and/or RF filters, as desired. Dueto the variety of potential RF interface designs an expansivedescription thereof is omitted.

Baseband circuitry 1220 may communicate with radio interface 1210 toprocess receive and/or transmit signals and may include, for example, ananalog-to-digital converter 1222 for down converting received signals, adigital-to-analog converter 1224 for up converting signals fortransmission. Further, baseband circuitry 1220 may include a baseband orphysical layer (PHY) processing circuit 1226 for PHY link layerprocessing of respective receive/transmit signals. Baseband circuitry1220 may include, for example, a medium access control (MAC) processingcircuit 1227 for MAC/data link layer processing. Baseband circuitry 1220may include a memory controller 1232 for communicating with MACprocessing circuit 1227 and/or a computing platform 1230, for example,via one or more interfaces 1234.

In some embodiments, PHY processing circuit 1226 may include a frameconstruction and/or detection module, in combination with additionalcircuitry such as a buffer memory, to construct and/or deconstructcommunication frames. Alternatively or in addition, MAC processingcircuit 1227 may share processing for certain of these functions orperform these processes independent of PHY processing circuit 1226. Insome embodiments, MAC and PHY processing may be integrated into a singlecircuit.

The computing platform 1230 may provide computing functionality for thedevice 1200. As shown, the computing platform 1230 may include aprocessing component 1240. In addition to, or alternatively of, thebaseband circuitry 1220, the device 1200 may execute processingoperations or logic for one or more of 700 and/or system 740 of FIG. 7,apparatus 800 and/or system 840 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9,logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11A, storagemedium 1150 of FIG. 11B, and logic circuit 1228 using the processingcomponent 1240. The processing component 1240 (and/or PHY 1226 and/orMAC 1227) may comprise various hardware elements, software elements, ora combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may includedevices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors,circuits, processor circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors,resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits,application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logicdevices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gatearray (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductordevice, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of softwareelements may include software components, programs, applications,computer programs, application programs, system programs, softwaredevelopment programs, machine programs, operating system software,middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines,functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application programinterfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, codesegments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or anycombination thereof. Determining whether an embodiment is implementedusing hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordancewith any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, powerlevels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates,output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design orperformance constraints, as desired for a given implementation.

The computing platform 1230 may further include other platformcomponents 1250. Other platform components 1250 include common computingelements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors,co-processors, memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals,interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards,multimedia input/output (I/O) components (e.g., digital displays), powersupplies, and so forth. Examples of memory units may include withoutlimitation various types of computer readable and machine readablestorage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, suchas read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM(DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), staticRAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymermemory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase changeor ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as RedundantArray of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices(e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type ofstorage media suitable for storing information.

Device 1200 may be, for example, an ultra-mobile device, a mobiledevice, a fixed device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, atelephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, user equipment,eBook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messagingdevice, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, alaptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheldcomputer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, aweb server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, amini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a networkappliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system,multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics,programmable consumer electronics, game devices, display, television,digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station,node B, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio networkcontroller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, orcombination thereof. Accordingly, functions and/or specificconfigurations of device 1200 described herein, may be included oromitted in various embodiments of device 1200, as suitably desired.

Embodiments of device 1200 may be implemented using single input singleoutput (SISO) architectures. However, certain implementations mayinclude multiple antennas (e.g., antennas 1218-f) for transmissionand/or reception using adaptive antenna techniques for beamforming orspatial division multiple access (SDMA) and/or using MIMO communicationtechniques.

The components and features of device 1200 may be implemented using anycombination of discrete circuitry, application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), logic gates and/or single chip architectures. Further,the features of device 1200 may be implemented using microcontrollers,programmable logic arrays and/or microprocessors or any combination ofthe foregoing where suitably appropriate. It is noted that hardware,firmware and/or software elements may be collectively or individuallyreferred to herein as “logic” or “circuit.”

It should be appreciated that the exemplary device 1200 shown in theblock diagram of FIG. 12 may represent one functionally descriptiveexample of many potential implementations. Accordingly, division,omission or inclusion of block functions depicted in the accompanyingfigures does not infer that the hardware components, circuits, softwareand/or elements for implementing these functions would be necessarily bedivided, omitted, or included in embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a wireless network 1300. As shownin FIG. 13, wireless network comprises an access point 1302 and wirelessstations 1304, 1306, and 1308. In various embodiments, wireless network1300 may comprise a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a WLANimplementing one or more Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (sometimes collectively referred to as“Wi-Fi”). In some other embodiments, wireless network 1300 may compriseanother type of wireless network, and/or may implement other wirelesscommunications standards. In various embodiments, for example, wirelessnetwork 1300 may comprise a WWAN or WPAN rather than a WLAN. Theembodiments are not limited to this example.

In some embodiments, wireless network 1300 may implement one or morebroadband wireless communications standards, such as 3G or 4G standards,including their revisions, progeny, and variants. Examples of 3G or 4Gwireless standards may include without limitation any of the IEEE802.16m and 802.16p standards, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standards, andInternational Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT-ADV) standards,including their revisions, progeny and variants. Other suitable examplesmay include, without limitation, Global System for Mobile Communications(GSM)/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technologies,Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)/High Speed PacketAccess (HSPA) technologies, Worldwide Interoperability for MicrowaveAccess (WiMAX) or the WiMAX II technologies, Code Division MultipleAccess (CDMA) 2000 system technologies (e.g., CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000EV-DO, CDMA EV-DV, and so forth), High Performance Radio MetropolitanArea Network (HIPERMAN) technologies as defined by the EuropeanTelecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Broadband Radio AccessNetworks (BRAN), Wireless Broadband (WiBro) technologies, GSM withGeneral Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system (GSM/GPRS) technologies, HighSpeed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technologies, High Speed OrthogonalFrequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) Packet Access (HSOPA)technologies, High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) systemtechnologies, 3GPP Rel. 8-12 of LTE/System Architecture Evolution (SAE),and so forth. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, wireless stations 1304, 1306, and 1308 maycommunicate with access point 1302 in order to obtain connectivity toone or more external data networks. In some embodiments, for example,wireless stations 1304, 1306, and 1308 may connect to the Internet 1312via access point 1302 and access network 1310. In various embodiments,access network 1310 may comprise a private network that providessubscription-based Internet-connectivity, such as an Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) network. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

In various embodiments, two or more of wireless stations 1304, 1306, and1308 may communicate with each other directly by exchanging peer-to-peercommunications. For example, in the example of FIG. 13, wirelessstations 1304 and 1306 communicate with each other directly byexchanging peer-to-peer communications 1314. In some embodiments, suchpeer-to-peer communications may be performed according to one or moreWi-Fi Alliance (WFA) standards. For example, in various embodiments,such peer-to-peer communications may be performed according to the WFAWi-Fi Direct standard, 2010 Release. In various embodiments, suchpeer-to-peer communications may additionally or alternatively beperformed using one or more interfaces, protocols, and/or standardsdeveloped by the WFA Wi-Fi Direct Services (WFDS) Task Group. Theembodiments are not limited to these examples.

Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, softwareelements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements mayinclude processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g.,transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integratedcircuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmablelogic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmablegate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips,microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software may includesoftware components, programs, applications, computer programs,application programs, system programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints.

One or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented byrepresentative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium whichrepresents various logic within the processor, which when read by amachine causes the machine to fabricate logic to perform the techniquesdescribed herein. Such representations, known as “IP cores” may bestored on a tangible, machine readable medium and supplied to variouscustomers or manufacturing facilities to load into the fabricationmachines that actually make the logic or processor. Some embodiments maybe implemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or articlewhich may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, ifexecuted by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/oroperations in accordance with the embodiments. Such a machine mayinclude, for example, any suitable processing platform, computingplatform, computing device, processing device, computing system,processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may beimplemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software.The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, anysuitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memorymedium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storageunit, for example, memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable ornon-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analogmedia, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM),Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW),optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memorycards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, acassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type ofcode, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executablecode, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like,implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented,visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language.

Example 1 is a wireless communication apparatus, comprising logic, atleast a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to send anadvertisement message to advertise a wireless docking station, theadvertisement message to comprise a persistent pairing setting for thewireless docking station, the logic to receive a request to use thewireless docking station, determine whether the request comprises arenewed usage request and, in response to a determination that therequest comprises a renewed usage request, determine whether to generateauthentication information for an authentication handshake based on thepersistent pairing setting.

In Example 2, the persistent pairing setting of Example 1 may optionallyindicate whether the wireless docking station allows authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 3, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 2 may optionallygenerate authentication information for the authentication handshake inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station does not allowauthentication information reuse.

In Example 4, the logic of Example 3 may optionally perform theauthentication handshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 5, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 3 to 4 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 6, the logic of any of Examples 3 to 5 may optionallygenerate the authentication information using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup(WPS) process.

In Example 7, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 2 may optionally performthe authentication handshake by reusing stored authenticationinformation in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 8, the authentication handshake of any of Examples 1 to 7 mayoptionally comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-way handshake.

In Example 9, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 2 may optionallygenerate authentication information for an initial authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the request comprises aninitial usage request.

In Example 10, the logic of Example 9 may optionally perform the initialauthentication handshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 11, the logic of any of Examples 9 to 10 may optionallydetermine, based on the persistent pairing setting, whether to preservethe generated authentication information following the initialauthentication handshake.

In Example 12, the logic of any of Examples 9 to 11 may optionallypreserve the generated authentication information following the initialauthentication handshake in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationallows authentication information reuse.

In Example 13, the logic of any of Examples 9 to 11 may optionallydelete the generated authentication information following the initialauthentication handshake in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationdoes not allow authentication information reuse.

In Example 14, the advertisement message of any of Examples 1 to 13 mayoptionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 15, the advertisement message of any of Examples 1 to 13 mayoptionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 16, the advertisement message of any of Examples 1 to 15 mayoptionally comprise an auto-connect mode setting for the wirelessdocking station.

In Example 17, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 16 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 18, the advertisement message of any of Examples 16 to 17 mayoptionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element (IE),the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect mode settingand the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 19, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 18 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 20, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 18 to19 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 21, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 20 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 22, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples 20to 21 may optionally comprise a value selected from among a plurality ofdefined values, each of the plurality of defined values to indicate aparticular respective auto-connect mode setting and a particularrespective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 23, the plurality of defined values of Example 22 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 24, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 22 to23 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 25, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 22 to24 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

Example 26 is a system, comprising a wireless communication apparatusaccording to any of Examples 1 to 25, a radio frequency (RF)transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

Example 27 is a wireless communication apparatus, comprising logic, atleast a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to discover awireless docking station based on a received advertisement message, theadvertisement message to comprise an auto-connect mode setting, thelogic to determine whether the wireless docking station comprises afamiliar wireless docking station and, in response to a determinationthat the wireless docking station comprises a familiar wireless dockingstation, determine whether to automatically initiate a connectionprocedure to establish a connection to the wireless docking stationbased on the auto-connect mode setting.

In Example 28, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 27 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 29, the logic of any of Examples 27 to 28 may optionallyautomatically initiate the connection procedure in response to adetermination that the auto-connect mode setting indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted.

In Example 30, the logic of any of Examples 27 to 28 may optionallygenerate a connection prompt in response to a determination that theauto-connect mode setting indicates that automatic connection to thewireless docking station is not permitted.

In Example 31, the logic of Example 30 may optionally receive aconnection decision in response to the connection prompt and, inresponse to a determination that the connection decision indicates thata connection to the wireless docking station is desired, initiate theconnection procedure.

In Example 32, the connection decision of Example 31 may optionallycomprise user input.

In Example 33, the advertisement message of any of Examples 27 to 32 mayoptionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 34, the advertisement message of any of Examples 27 to 32 mayoptionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 35, the advertisement message of any of Examples 27 to 34 mayoptionally comprise a persistent pairing setting.

In Example 36, the persistent pairing setting of Example 35 mayoptionally indicate whether the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 37, the connection procedure of any of Examples 35 to 36 mayoptionally comprise an authentication handshake.

In Example 38, the authentication handshake of Example 37 may optionallycomprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-way handshake.

In Example 39, the logic of any of Examples 35 to 38 may optionallydetermine whether to generate authentication information for aninitiated connection procedure based on the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 40, the logic of Example 39 may optionally generateauthentication information for the initiated connection procedure inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station does not allowauthentication information reuse.

In Example 41, the logic of Example 40 may optionally perform anauthentication handshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 42, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 40 to 41 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 43, the logic of any of Examples 40 to 42 may optionallygenerate the authentication information using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup(WPS) process.

In Example 44, the logic of Example 39 may optionally perform anauthentication handshake by reusing stored authentication information inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station allows authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 45, the advertisement message of any of Examples 35 to 44 mayoptionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element (IE),the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect mode settingand the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 46, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 45 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 47, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 45 to46 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 48, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 47 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 49, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples 47to 48 may optionally comprise a value comprised among a plurality ofdefined values, each of the plurality of defined values to indicate aparticular respective auto-connect mode setting and a particularrespective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 50, the plurality of defined values of Example 49 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 51, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 49 to50 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 52, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 49 to51 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 53, the logic of any of Examples 35 to 52 may optionallygenerate a connection prompt in response to a determination that thewireless docking station does not comprise a familiar wireless dockingstation.

In Example 54, the logic of Example 53 may optionally receive aconnection decision in response to the connection prompt and, inresponse to a determination that the connection decision indicates thata connection to the wireless docking station is desired, generateauthentication information for an initial authentication handshake.

In Example 55, the logic of Example 54 may optionally perform theinitial authentication handshake using the generated authenticationinformation.

In Example 56, the logic of Example 55 may optionally determine, basedon the persistent pairing setting, whether to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake.

In Example 57, the logic of Example 56 may optionally preserve thegenerated authentication information following the initialauthentication handshake in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationallows authentication information reuse.

In Example 58, the logic of Example 56 may optionally delete thegenerated authentication information following the initialauthentication handshake in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationdoes not allow authentication information reuse.

Example 59 is a system, comprising a wireless communication apparatusaccording to any of Examples 27 to 58, a radio frequency (RF)transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

In Example 60, the system of Example 59 may optionally comprise adisplay.

Example 61 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to send an advertisement message to advertise a wireless dockingstation, the advertisement message to comprise a persistent pairingsetting for the wireless docking station, receive a request to use thewireless docking station, determine whether the request comprises arenewed usage request, and in response to a determination that therequest comprises a renewed usage request, determine whether to generateauthentication information for an authentication handshake based on thepersistent pairing setting.

In Example 62, the persistent pairing setting of Example 61 mayoptionally indicate whether the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 63, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 61 to 62 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to generate authenticationinformation for the authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 64, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 63 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to perform the authenticationhandshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 65, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 63 to 64 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 66, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 63 to 65 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to generate theauthentication information using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) process.

In Example 67, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 61 to 62 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to perform theauthentication handshake by reusing stored authentication information inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station allows authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 68, the authentication handshake of any of Examples 61 to 67may optionally comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-wayhandshake.

In Example 69, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 61 to 62 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to generate authenticationinformation for an initial authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the request comprises an initial usage request.

In Example 70, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 69 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to perform the initial authenticationhandshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 71, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 70 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to determine, based on the persistentpairing setting, whether to preserve the generated authenticationinformation following the initial authentication handshake.

In Example 72, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 71 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 73, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 71 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to delete the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the wireless docking station does not allowauthentication information reuse.

In Example 74, the advertisement message of any of Examples 61 to 73 mayoptionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 75, the advertisement message of any of Examples 61 to 73 mayoptionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 76, the advertisement message of any of Examples 61 to 75 mayoptionally comprise an auto-connect mode setting for the wirelessdocking station.

In Example 77, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 76 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 78, the advertisement message of any of Examples 76 to 77 mayoptionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element (IE),the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect mode settingand the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 79, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 78 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 80, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 78 to79 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 81, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 80 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 82, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples 80to 81 may optionally comprise a value selected from among a plurality ofdefined values, each of the plurality of defined values to indicate aparticular respective auto-connect mode setting and a particularrespective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 83, the plurality of defined values of Example 82 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 84, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 82 to83 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 85, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 82 to84 may optionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

Example 86 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to discover a wireless docking station based on a receivedadvertisement message, the advertisement message to comprise anauto-connect mode setting, determine whether the wireless dockingstation comprises a familiar wireless docking station, and in responseto a determination that the wireless docking station comprises afamiliar wireless docking station, determine whether to automaticallyinitiate a connection procedure to establish a connection to thewireless docking station based on the auto-connect mode setting.

In Example 87, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 86 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 88, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 86 to 87 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to automatically initiatethe connection procedure in response to a determination that theauto-connect mode setting indicates that automatic connection to thewireless docking station is permitted.

In Example 89, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 86 to 87 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to generate a connectionprompt in response to a determination that the auto-connect mode settingindicates that automatic connection to the wireless docking station isnot permitted.

In Example 90, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 89 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to receive a connection decision inresponse to the connection prompt, and in response to a determinationthat the connection decision indicates that a connection to the wirelessdocking station is desired, initiate the connection procedure.

In Example 91, the connection decision of Example 90 may optionallycomprise user input.

In Example 92, the advertisement message of any of Examples 86 to 91 mayoptionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 93, the advertisement message of any of Examples 86 to 91 mayoptionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 94, the advertisement message of any of Examples 86 to 93 mayoptionally comprise a persistent pairing setting.

In Example 95, the persistent pairing setting of Example 94 mayoptionally indicate whether the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 96, the connection procedure of any of Examples 94 to 95 mayoptionally comprise an authentication handshake.

In Example 97, the authentication handshake of Example 96 may optionallycomprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-way handshake.

In Example 98, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 94 to 97 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to determine whether togenerate authentication information for an initiated connectionprocedure based on the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 99, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 98 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to generate authenticationinformation for the initiated connection procedure in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 100, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 99 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to perform anauthentication handshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 101, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 99 to 100 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 102, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of any of Examples 99 to 101 may optionally comprisewireless communication instructions that, in response to being executedon the computing device, cause the computing device to generate theauthentication information using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) process.

In Example 103, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 98 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to perform anauthentication handshake by reusing stored authentication information inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station allows authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 104, the advertisement message of any of Examples 94 to 103may optionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element(IE), the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect modesetting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 105, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 104 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 106, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 104 to105 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 107, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 106 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 108, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples106 to 107 may optionally comprise a value comprised among a pluralityof defined values, each of the plurality of defined values to indicate aparticular respective auto-connect mode setting and a particularrespective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 109, the plurality of defined values of Example 108 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 110, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 108to 109 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is not permittedand that the wireless docking station does not allow authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 111, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 108to 110 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted andthat the wireless docking station allows authentication informationreuse.

In Example 112, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of any of Examples 94 to 111 may optionally comprisewireless communication instructions that, in response to being executedon the computing device, cause the computing device to generate aconnection prompt in response to a determination that the wirelessdocking station does not comprise a familiar wireless docking station.

In Example 113, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 112 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to receive a connectiondecision in response to the connection prompt and, in response to adetermination that the connection decision indicates that a connectionto the wireless docking station is desired, generate authenticationinformation for an initial authentication handshake.

In Example 114, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 113 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to perform the initialauthentication handshake using the generated authentication information.

In Example 115, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 114 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to determine, based on thepersistent pairing setting, whether to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake.

In Example 116, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 115 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 117, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 115 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to delete the generatedauthentication information following the initial authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the wireless docking station does not allowauthentication information reuse.

Example 118 is a wireless communication method, comprising sending anadvertisement message to advertise a wireless docking station, theadvertisement message to comprise a persistent pairing setting for thewireless docking station, receiving a request to use the wirelessdocking station, determining, by a processor circuit, whether therequest comprises a renewed usage request, and in response to adetermination that the request comprises a renewed usage request,determining whether to generate authentication information for anauthentication handshake based on the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 119, the persistent pairing setting of Example 118 mayoptionally indicate whether the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 120, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 118to 119 may optionally comprise generating authentication information forthe authentication handshake in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationdoes not allow authentication information reuse.

In Example 121, the wireless communication method of Example 120 mayoptionally comprise performing the authentication handshake using thegenerated authentication information.

In Example 122, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 120 to 121 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 123, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 120to 122 may optionally comprise generating the authentication informationusing a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) process.

In Example 124, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 118to 119 may optionally comprise performing the authentication handshakeby reusing stored authentication information in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 125, the authentication handshake of any of Examples 118 to124 may optionally comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-wayhandshake.

In Example 126, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 118to 119 may optionally comprise generating authentication information foran initial authentication handshake in response to a determination thatthe request comprises an initial usage request.

In Example 127, the wireless communication method of Example 126 mayoptionally comprise performing the initial authentication handshakeusing the generated authentication information.

In Example 128, the wireless communication method of Example 127 mayoptionally comprise determining, based on the persistent pairingsetting, whether to preserve the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake.

In Example 129, the wireless communication method of Example 128 mayoptionally comprise preserving the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 130, the wireless communication method of Example 128 mayoptionally comprise deleting the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

In Example 131, the advertisement message of any of Examples 118 to 130may optionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 132, the advertisement message of any of Examples 118 to 130may optionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 133, the advertisement message of any of Examples 118 to 132may optionally comprise an auto-connect mode setting for the wirelessdocking station.

In Example 134, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 133 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 135, the advertisement message of any of Examples 133 to 134may optionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element(IE), the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect modesetting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 136, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 135 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 137, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 135 to136 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 138, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 137 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 139, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples137 to 138 may optionally comprise a value selected from among aplurality of defined values, each of the plurality of defined values toindicate a particular respective auto-connect mode setting and aparticular respective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 140, the plurality of defined values of Example 139 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 141, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 139to 140 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is not permittedand that the wireless docking station does not allow authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 142, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 139to 141 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted andthat the wireless docking station allows authentication informationreuse.

Example 143 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform awireless communication method according to any of Examples 118 to 142.

Example 144 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a wirelesscommunication method according to any of Examples 118 to 142.

Example 145 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to Example144, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

Example 146 is a wireless communication method, comprising discovering awireless docking station based on a received advertisement message, theadvertisement message to comprise an auto-connect mode setting,determining, by a processor circuit, whether the wireless dockingstation comprises a familiar wireless docking station, and in responseto a determination that the wireless docking station comprises afamiliar wireless docking station, determining whether to automaticallyinitiate a connection procedure to establish a connection to thewireless docking station based on the auto-connect mode setting.

In Example 147, the auto-connect mode setting of Example 146 mayoptionally indicate whether automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 148, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 146to 147 may optionally comprise automatically initiating the connectionprocedure in response to a determination that the auto-connect modesetting indicates that automatic connection to the wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 149, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 146to 147 may optionally comprise generating a connection prompt inresponse to a determination that the auto-connect mode setting indicatesthat automatic connection to the wireless docking station is notpermitted.

In Example 150, the wireless communication method of Example 149 mayoptionally comprise receiving a connection decision in response to theconnection prompt, and in response to a determination that theconnection decision indicates that a connection to the wireless dockingstation is desired, initiating the connection procedure.

In Example 151, the connection decision of Example 150 may optionallycomprise user input.

In Example 152, the advertisement message of any of Examples 146 to 151may optionally comprise a probe request.

In Example 153, the advertisement message of any of Examples 146 to 151may optionally comprise a probe response.

In Example 154, the advertisement message of any of Examples 146 to 153may optionally comprise a persistent pairing setting.

In Example 155, the persistent pairing setting of Example 154 mayoptionally indicate whether the wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 156, the connection procedure of any of Examples 154 to 155may optionally comprise an authentication handshake.

In Example 157, the authentication handshake of Example 156 mayoptionally comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-way handshake.

In Example 158, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 154to 157 may optionally comprise determining whether to generateauthentication information for an initiated connection procedure basedon the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 159, the wireless communication method of Example 158 mayoptionally comprise generating authentication information for theinitiated connection procedure in response to a determination that thepersistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless docking stationdoes not allow authentication information reuse.

In Example 160, the wireless communication method of Example 159 mayoptionally comprise performing an authentication handshake using thegenerated authentication information.

In Example 161, the generated authentication information of any ofExamples 159 to 160 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 162, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 159to 161 may optionally comprise generating the authentication informationusing a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) process.

In Example 163, the wireless communication method of Example 158 mayoptionally comprise performing an authentication handshake by reusingstored authentication information in response to a determination thatthe persistent pairing setting indicates that the wireless dockingstation allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 164, the advertisement message of any of Examples 154 to 163may optionally comprise an auto-connect capability information element(IE), the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect modesetting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 165, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 164 mayoptionally comprise an element identifier (ID) field, the element IDfield to comprise a value indicating that the auto-connect capability IEcomprises an auto-connect capability IE.

In Example 166, the auto-connect capability IE of any of Examples 164 to165 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilities field, theauto-connect capabilities field to comprise information identifying theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

In Example 167, the auto-connect capability IE of Example 166 mayoptionally comprise a length field, the length field to comprise a valueindicating a length of the auto-connect capabilities field.

In Example 168, the auto-connect capabilities field of any of Examples166 to 167 may optionally comprise a value comprised among a pluralityof defined values, each of the plurality of defined values to indicate aparticular respective auto-connect mode setting and a particularrespective persistent pairing setting.

In Example 169, the plurality of defined values of Example 168 mayoptionally include a defined value that indicates that automaticconnection to the wireless docking station is not permitted and that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 170, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 168to 169 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is not permittedand that the wireless docking station does not allow authenticationinformation reuse.

In Example 171, the plurality of defined values of any of Examples 168to 170 may optionally include a defined value that indicates thatautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted andthat the wireless docking station allows authentication informationreuse.

In Example 172, the wireless communication method of Example 154 mayoptionally comprise generating a connection prompt in response to adetermination that the wireless docking station does not comprise afamiliar wireless docking station.

In Example 173, the wireless communication method of Example 172 mayoptionally comprise receiving a connection decision in response to theconnection prompt and, in response to a determination that theconnection decision indicates that a connection to the wireless dockingstation is desired, generating authentication information for an initialauthentication handshake.

In Example 174, the wireless communication method of Example 173 mayoptionally comprise performing the initial authentication handshakeusing the generated authentication information.

In Example 175, the wireless communication method of Example 174 mayoptionally comprise determining, based on the persistent pairingsetting, whether to preserve the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake.

In Example 176, the wireless communication method of Example 175 mayoptionally comprise preserving the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse.

In Example 177, the wireless communication method of Example 175 mayoptionally comprise deleting the generated authentication informationfollowing the initial authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.

Example 178 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform awireless communication method according to any of Examples 146 to 177.

Example 179 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a wirelesscommunication method according to any of Examples 146 to 177.

Example 180 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to Example179, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

In Example 181, the system of Example 180 may optionally comprise adisplay.

Example 182 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to discover an unfamiliar wireless docking station based on areceived advertisement message comprising a persistent pairing setting,the persistent pairing setting to indicate whether the unfamiliarwireless docking station allows authentication information reuse,generate authentication information, perform an authentication handshakeusing the generated authentication information, and determine, based onthe persistent pairing setting, whether to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the authentication handshake.

In Example 183, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 182 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the authentication handshake inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the unfamiliar wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.

In Example 184, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of Example 182 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to delete the generatedauthentication information following the authentication handshake inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the unfamiliar wireless docking station does not allowauthentication information reuse.

In Example 185, the authentication information of any of Examples 182 to184 may optionally comprise a digital certificate.

In Example 186, the received advertisement message of any of Examples182 to 185 may optionally comprise an auto-connect mode setting toindicate whether automatic connection to the unfamiliar wireless dockingstation is permitted.

In Example 187, the at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of any of Examples 182 to 186 may optionally comprisewireless communication instructions that, in response to being executedon the computing device, cause the computing device to initiate aconnection procedure in response to received user input, and perform theauthentication handshake during the connection procedure.

In Example 188, the authentication handshake of any of Examples 182 to187 may optionally comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-wayhandshake.

In Example 189, the received advertisement message of any of Examples182 to 188 may optionally comprise an auto-connect capabilityinformation element (IE), the auto-connect capability IE to identify theauto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairing setting.

Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood bythose skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-knownoperations, components, and circuits have not been described in detailso as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that thespecific structural and functional details disclosed herein may berepresentative and do not necessarily limit the scope of theembodiments.

Some embodiments may be described using the expression “coupled” and“connected” along with their derivatives. These terms are not intendedas synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may bedescribed using the terms “connected” and/or “coupled” to indicate thattwo or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact witheach other. The term “coupled,” however, may also mean that two or moreelements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet stillco-operate or interact with each other.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, it may be appreciated that termssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” or thelike, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computingsystem, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and/ortransforms data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic)within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other datasimilarly represented as physical quantities within the computingsystem's memories, registers or other such information storage,transmission or display devices. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

It should be noted that the methods described herein do not have to beexecuted in the order described, or in any particular order. Moreover,various activities described with respect to the methods identifiedherein can be executed in serial or parallel fashion.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. It is to be understood that the abovedescription has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not arestrictive one. Combinations of the above embodiments, and otherembodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Thus, thescope of various embodiments includes any other applications in whichthe above compositions, structures, and methods are used.

It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided tocomply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allowthe reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure.It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used tointerpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, inthe foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various featuresare grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to beinterpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodimentsrequire more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in lessthan all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment. In theappended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and“third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to imposenumerical requirements on their objects.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: logic, at least aportion of which is in hardware, the logic to send an advertisementmessage to advertise a wireless docking station, the advertisementmessage to comprise a persistent pairing setting for the wirelessdocking station, the logic to receive a request to use the wirelessdocking station, determine whether the request comprises a renewed usagerequest and, in response to a determination that the request comprises arenewed usage request, determine whether to generate authenticationinformation for an authentication handshake based on the persistentpairing setting.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to generateauthentication information for the authentication handshake in responseto a determination that the persistent pairing setting indicates thatthe wireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, the authentication handshake tocomprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) 4-way handshake, the logicto generate the authentication information using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup(WPS) process.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to perform theauthentication handshake by reusing stored authentication information inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station allows authenticationinformation reuse.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, the advertisementmessage to comprise an auto-connect mode setting for the wirelessdocking station, the auto-connect mode setting to indicate whetherautomatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted. 6.The apparatus of claim 5, the advertisement message to comprise anauto-connect capability information element (IE), the auto-connectcapability IE to identify the auto-connect mode setting and thepersistent pairing setting.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, theauto-connect capability IE to comprise an auto-connect capabilitiesfield, the auto-connect capabilities field to comprise a value thatindicates both the auto-connect mode setting and the persistent pairingsetting.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, the advertisement message tocomprise a probe request or probe response.
 9. An apparatus, comprising:logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to discovera wireless docking station based on a received advertisement message,the advertisement message to comprise an auto-connect mode setting toindicate whether automatic connection to the wireless docking station ispermitted, the logic to determine whether the wireless docking stationcomprises a familiar wireless docking station and, in response to adetermination that the wireless docking station comprises a familiarwireless docking station, determine whether to automatically initiate aconnection procedure to establish a connection to the wireless dockingstation based on the auto-connect mode setting.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9, the logic to automatically initiate the connection procedure inresponse to a determination that the auto-connect mode setting indicatesthat automatic connection to the wireless docking station is permitted.11. The apparatus of claim 9, the logic to generate a connection promptin response to a determination that the auto-connect mode settingindicates that automatic connection to the wireless docking station isnot permitted.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, the logic to receive aconnection decision in response to the connection prompt and, inresponse to a determination that the connection decision indicates thata connection to the wireless docking station is desired, initiate theconnection procedure.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, the advertisementmessage to comprise a persistent pairing setting to indicate whether thewireless docking station allows authentication information reuse. 14.The apparatus of claim 13, the logic to generate authenticationinformation for an authentication handshake in response to adetermination that the persistent pairing setting indicates that thewireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, the logic to perform anauthentication handshake by reusing stored authentication information inresponse to a determination that the persistent pairing settingindicates that the wireless docking station does allows authenticationinformation reuse.
 16. The apparatus of claim 9, the advertisementmessage to comprise a probe request or probe response.
 17. The apparatusof claim 9, comprising: a display; a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;and one or more RF antennas.
 18. At least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that,in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to: discover an unfamiliar wireless docking station based on areceived advertisement message comprising a persistent pairing setting,the persistent pairing setting to indicate whether the unfamiliarwireless docking station allows authentication information reuse;generate authentication information; perform an authentication handshakeusing the generated authentication information; and determine, based onthe persistent pairing setting, whether to preserve the generatedauthentication information following the authentication handshake. 19.The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 18, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed onthe computing device, cause the computing device to preserve thegenerated authentication information following the authenticationhandshake in response to a determination that the persistent pairingsetting indicates that the unfamiliar wireless docking station allowsauthentication information reuse.
 20. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 18, comprising instructionsthat, in response to being executed on the computing device, cause thecomputing device to delete the generated authentication informationfollowing the authentication handshake in response to a determinationthat the persistent pairing setting indicates that the unfamiliarwireless docking station does not allow authentication informationreuse.
 21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 18, the authentication information to comprise a digitalcertificate.
 22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 18, the received advertisement message tocomprise an auto-connect mode setting to indicate whether automaticconnection to the unfamiliar wireless docking station is permitted. 23.The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 18, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed onthe computing device, cause the computing device to: initiate aconnection procedure in response to received user input; and perform theauthentication handshake during the connection procedure.
 24. The atleast one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18,the authentication handshake to comprise a Wi-Fi Protected Access II(WPA2) 4-way handshake.
 25. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the received advertisementmessage to comprise an auto-connect capability information element (IE),the auto-connect capability IE to identify the auto-connect mode settingand the persistent pairing setting.